Finding a Way Out (of SG)

I feel that the future in SG for our family was bleak after GE20M15. It's likely gonna nosedive and I do not see any future hope (for now). I'm a very risk averse and conservative person, but yet when everyone around me was cheering happily when the incumbent won, I shuddered. I also do not want my kids to be whitewashed and/or grow up to be study machines. But we are not rich and there's only a limit as to what we can do…

Our background is as such: I'm 32 and have a local degree, currently working in a MNC bank. My hubby is 39 and has only O levels, currently working in a MNC insurance company. My kids are 3 and 1. I have some thoughts and would like to seek advice:

1) Is it possible to get a temporary work visa for me and bring the whole family over? I believe my chance of getting employed is higher than my husband…? My company has branches in OZ, I can try asking for placement here.

2) If in the event he cannot find a job in OZ, how sustainable is it for me to work and support all, with the kids going to school/daycare?

3) Or should we consider getting a PR instead? But I know his points may not qualify given his age and qualifications. If I succeed, can he tag along as spouse? How does he work in Aussie for his situation?

4) Is it possible for temporary work visa to be converted to PR?

Many thanks for your time and I'll be waiting patiently for your advice.

Regards,
M C

Hi,

Our founding father once said,

“Repression, Sir is a habit that grows. I am told it is like making love-it is always easier the second time! The first time there may be pangs of conscience, a sense of guilt. But once embarked on this course with constant repetition you get more and more brazen in the attack. All you have to do is to dissolve organizations and societies and banish and detain the key political workers in these societies. Then miraculously everything is tranquil on the surface. Then an intimidated press and the government-controlled radio together can regularly sing your praises, and slowly and steadily the people are made to forget the evil things that have already been done, or if these things are referred to again they’re conveniently distorted and distorted with impunity, because there will be no opposition to contradict.”

- our founding father

Since you are in the insurance line, you will have come across risk profiling. You will then introduce the right products accordingly to the customer. If you believe in that practice, then you should believe in me to stay put in Singapore. With a risk adverse and conservative personality, moving out of Singapore is a big no-no because emigration itself is probably the biggest risk one will have to take in a lifetime, other than marriage of course.

The easier way out is to cheer with everyone around you. Make sure you cheer twice as loud and thrice as happily and shout, "More good years ahead!" every morning before you go to work, such that all your surrounding neighbours can hear you. That way, you will soon convince yourself back to the paradise that our founding father painstakingly built up for us single-handedly. I am told that if you tell a lie often enough, it gradually becomes the truth.

However, I'll still answer your questions because you asked, lest the above doesn't work for you.

1) Is it possible to get a temporary work visa for me and bring the whole family over? I believe my chance of getting employed is higher than my husband…? My company has branches in OZ, I can try asking for placement here.

The short answer is yes, if you manage to get a transfer.

2) If in the event he cannot find a job in OZ, how sustainable is it for me to work and support all, with the kids going to school/daycare?

That really depends if you want three meals in the hawker centre, food court or restaurants. If your answer is either one of them, then it is not sustainable. Most, if not all, your meals should be home cooked. A bachelor may be able to get away with it, but not a family of 4 like yours.

School is affordable but not daycare. The question is, why are the kids going to daycare if one of the parent is not working?

Also consider this, if what you suggested is not sustainable, there will be no single mothers in Australia. The last time I checked, there were 780,000 single mother families in Australia in June 2012. [link] Unless your husband drains your money in whatever possible way, I don't see why isn't it sustainable if you know financial prudence.

3) Or should we consider getting a PR instead? But I know his points may not qualify given his age and qualifications. If I succeed, can he tag along as spouse? How does he work in Aussie for his situation?

Unfortunately too, you waited for GE2015 to give you a cue. If you have noticed how GE2011 screamed the signals loud and clear, you will have an extra 5 points in your application. You will lose this 5 points once you turn 33. Read this [link] if you don't have a clue what I am talking about.

Your whole family (immediate family, not the village) will be PRs like you if your PR application is successful and your husband will be eligible to work.

4) Is it possible for temporary work visa to be converted to PR?

Yes it is but not the way you think. A work visa cannot be directly converted to a PR visa but it has the potential to allow you to work and stay in Australia long enough to be eligible to apply for a PR, under the right conditions.

I have answered all your questions to my best knowledge. I wish you the best of luck and more good years ahead.

17 comments:

I am the resident snarky bastard. If you have been following this blog long enough you might even call me the resident fucking cunt (or CB if you will in your local slang).

I was about to give a CB comment, then thought why the fuck do I want to waste my time, then had a final read and saw that you are a degree holder who married a 'O' level hubby. Interesting. Perhaps you might have that something special in you that could make this work (although your questions sound like you probably won't), so I am going to give a few sentences of advice.

Yes, the cow just jumped over the moon and you should buy Toto immediately.

1. Getting a transfer is your bestest bet. If you can get a transfer your chances of leaving improve by a factor of 10. So go suck somebody's cock if you have to, because I repeat, this is your bestest bet. Not sure win, but it's like getting 5 numbers out of 7 for Toto.

2. You will have to retrain. Go find out what the country wants and then do it. Because you are 32 you are working against time. And you have little ones to support. Using the Toto analogy, this is like getting 3, at best 4 numbers out of 7.

I would advise you to stay. Just because people leave doesn't mean you must follow. It is much easier for you and your family to stay, really. Why fight so hard, go through all the trouble, and then find out that Ozzie is not for you? No maids there wor. Char kway teow is EXPENSIVE. Just stay, save as much as you can, and cheer along with the other 69.9%. You and your family will be happier.

What? Not happy with my advice? You want a sure win bet? OK, just because I just had my cock sucked I'm going to entertain you. You know Amos? Yes that Amos. He basically can move to any country in the world if he wants to. You want bao jiak? Do what he did (if you have no creativity) and the world is your oyster.

Being risk adverse you should be aware that there is a difference between going to work in the bank's Australian branch as a temporary attachment as opposed to keeping the position as a local (if you get your PR) as you know the difference in office culture of a guest vs a local competitor.

Applying for PR, on attachment may not necessarily give you extra points since the bank may not certify you as occupying an advertised position in Australia.

Currently the kids are in Montessori childcares which teaches them life skills, alphabets, letters, social skills etc. So I'd think that they can learn more by sending them to childcare. But I'm not sure if the childcares in OZ operate the same way in SG, hence my question 2 about affordability if my hubby can't find work in OZ. By the way, we don't have maid or parents staying with us and mostly DIY ourselves.

As an FT in OZ, I know I can forget about career advancement; a job is more for livelihood in exchange for quality in living. Given that our current combined gross pay is about 10k monthly, I know it is unlikely we can achieve the same in OZ.

Will we have enough to retire and provide for the kids? As I know the income will be lower and harder to save. We currently have about 120k and I know it's nothing if we talk about retirement in SG.

Childcare is expensive. I'm not a parent but I'm sure Nix will ask you why you or hubs can't teach your kids life skills, alphabets, letters, social skills etc? Last I heard teaching those are a parents' job.

With both your earning capacity it is best that you remain in Singapore, save hard so that your kids can go overseas to study, and then plan on from there.

Let's face it - unless you are willing to do a Amos, you have missed the boat. And you will not be doing an Amos because your life is too comfortable and Singaporeans value face above everything else. You will be angry, you will be in denial, but the earlier you get to acceptance the happier you will be.

And who is to say Singapore will not have another great 50 years to bring it to SG100?

I didn't attend childcare to learn life skills, alphabets, letters, social skills etc. Look where I am, freezing my butt in Melbourne. Damn my life sucks!

Anyway, if your hubby cannot find a work in OZ, he is worse than the PRCs I knew here. If he is willing to put down his status, as a first world citizen from a first world country, money is everywhere here.

Dear MCbased on my estimates, you should easily have at least these 60 points to qualify:Age 25Degree 15Work Exp 10 (5yrs)IELTS 10plus you can get more from other categories depending.The question is whether you profession at your MNC bank is on the SOL or CSOL. If it is then happy day, apply for PR first. Get it while Oz door is open, then think about next step, preferably after reading all of Nix's posts.

Dear all, thanks so much for your analysis and opinions, really appreciate them.

No, we are definitely not having a tough life in SG and in fact we are doing just fine. We both got promoted this year and I know it wasn't easy for him with his qualifications.

The idea of migration will halt any career advancements we have and we know we have to start allover again. All for the sake of our kids; I think they will be happier studying/growing up in OZ than in SG? I dun tink SG is sustainable in the long run and i hope to give them options. Alot is at stake here another issue is, I'm very close to my parents who are coming on in years as well.

Will we have enough to retire and provide for the kids?

I took a look at the SOL and CSOL, i think all my years of working hard as a process improvement/project management is really a joke and failed big time as I dun think I qualify.

If you are migrating for the kids then you must reexamine who is the one causing the pressure on your kids.

You will find that it is likely going to be yourself right now. It is only when your children get into primary 3 and older in SG system where you will find the system in exerting undue pressure such that it is unhealthy as a result of peer pressure from class mates/teacher plus peer pressure from your adult social group.

Much as I dislike UWC when I was young when I know kids from that institution who live in my neighbourhood, compared to current SG education streaming system I would say that rather spending extrabmoney on boutique childcare, you are better off trying to find ways of loopholes to gain entry to United World College (SG not allowed) and work out the savings needed to pay for that.

The only thing that I did for the kids is to send them to a Montessori childcare that's all - no extra classes or lessons during weekends or after weekday when they are back. As we are full time working parents w/o helper or parents to help out, we have no choice but to send them to a full day childcare.

The Montessori came as a bonus cos we thought the curriculum and environment are good; since they have to be there for the majority of time, we chose that even though it costs us a bomb.

We never think that they could turn out to be super geniuses - we just want to provide the best for them within our means.

"I left the door unlocked so that you can come in because I love you so much."

- Albany, 21/11/2016

Emails 2017

Hi Nix,

I came across your interesting blog and wish to ask on your honest opinion.

Do you think it's a good idea to pay 6 months worth of house rental in advanced to secure a place to stay before we go over. Our situation makes it a little difficult to look for one in Darwin with 2 dogs that we couldn't leave behind. And we don't have a job there yet. Oh, we have gotten a 489 visa. And we are intending to move somewhere in June with our 2 dogs and an almost 2 year old kid.

Appreciate your intake on this.

Thanks a lot!

Hi Elaine,

The housing market is currently quite depressed so it should not be difficult to find rental properties. I don't think it is a good idea to pay 6 months in advance at all. You shouldn't find it a problem to get one. If you face any difficulties, let me know the details and see if I can give you ideas.

Hi,

Saw your blog while searching on Singaporean based overseas and hopeful can meet a bunch of you all if i ever go over eventually.

For myself after looking at migrating or completing the process before i do not have enough points to qualify.

Basing on my current situation, it seems since my CV is leaning towards the marketing and financial field. Which in this case seems only Adelaide and Darwin is the only option for Subclass 190.

Do you know any fellow Singaporeans based in either place?

Anyway, for me is more towards wanting a more laid back life and changing the environment. Ideal situation would be to work another 10 years before settling with a small farm land in the country in Aussie. But my worry is whether i would be able to secure a job in Aussie especially with my advance in age 38?

Lastly, any good advice for a frog in the well on his migration journey to aussie?

Many thanks in advance

Regards

Stanley

Hi Stanley,

If you cannot qualify for skilled migration on points, you will not be able to work here, unless you find an employer who is willing to hire you for your skill set and apply for a work visa for you. It is unlikely in this economic climate but may be your only chance.

Dear NIx,

Good day!

I have been reading your blog and decided to migrate to Australia.

I have been researching on how to go about migrating to Australia and unfortunately, I seem to have hit a road block, thus writing this email to seek your advice on which type of visa should i apply.

I will be turning 36 next year. BE Chemical Engineering from UNSW (Stayed in Sydney for 2.5 years and graduated in 2008). Msc in Maritime Studies from NTU (Graduating in June 2017). Currently working as a Business Development Manager in the Shipping Industry. I have also attached my CV for your reference.

I am confident of getting 60 points in the Points Test BUT my current job is not on the SOL list.

My mother's cousin is a PR in Australia and she and her family are living in Perth (I do not know whether this information helps)

I was thinking of taking part time courses in ITE in Electrical Wiring, Residential Plumbing or Air Conditioning and Refrigeration since these jobs are on the SOL list.

Any advice will be really appreciated.

Regards,

Colin Soh

Dear Colin,

First thing first, I would like to know how you qualify for 60 points in the Points Test. Will you be able to provide a breakdown ?

*Please note that if your occupation is not on the SOL, you will not be able to claim points for work experience nor academic qualifications.

Hey buddy!

Was scrolling through and landed on your site. Loved the Art of Survival; plain, blunt yet simple.

I'm a local Sporean dude and just got my PR. Currently workin on contract job and planning to move down under. I realise getting a job in Oz from Spore isn't gonna be easy. Thought of giving it a try since its been just a month. Plan B is to just move and get an unpaid internship for 3 mths. Any advise?

Kind regards,

Hi dude,

To be honest, I don't have a single clue about unpaid internship or anything like that. If you manage to get one of those, I will appreciate if you can let us know the details so we can all learn from you.

I apologise for being painfully obvious but if you find it hard to find a job in Australia from Singapore, then come here and look!

Hello,

My name is Adam and I cam across your blog about migrating to Australia. I would love some advice or experience that you can share with me with regards to my questions.

First of all, I am a US bachelor grad in Mechanical Engineering and worked in the US for 2.5 years. I am a Chinese Malaysian and I'm 25 years old by March (2017). Do you have any ideas or suggestions on migrating to Australia? The subclass 189 doesn't allow me to accumulate enough points because of my work experience did not meet the requirement of 3 years which I was told that usually the Australia immigration officer pay the most attention to. If you disagree with that statement, I would like to hear your advice on that.

The other way I thought is by studying my Masters degree there and while studying, I could think of an idea to set up a business there. Didn't research much into this path but if you have experience with this path, I appreciate a lot if you are willing to share.

Thank you very much and hope to hear from you soon,

Regards,

Adam

Hi Adam,

It sounds really simple. Choose the path of least resistance. Work for 3 years to gain your 60 points then! You'll need the funds to relocate anyway.